Saturday, May 20, 2006

The Alphabetical Review

An alphabetical review in the Times of London today of Sue Clifford and Angela King's England in Particular:

Badgers, Bakewell pudding, Beach huts. It is hard to express a love of England without turning into the British National Party. Instead, we are caught up for ever in embarrassment, irony, diffidence. The Empire’s gone, a Sikh and a Muslim take wickets for England at Lord’s, and we are part of something called “Europe”. How, then, should we express love of country? By saying that well, it’s not such a bad place on the whole. It has its points.

Cabman’s shelters, Coasts, Crinkle-crankle walls...

Seeing a review with even a modicum of inventiveness in its form puts the usual plot-recap-and-thumbs-up-or-down reviewing to shame.